Solitude
by ShadowPalace
Summary: When Nico is feeling lonesome, he needs someone in a worse situation to put matters into perspective. Slight NicoCalypso


**A/N: A quick dedication is in order here. It's to Abbie (WindowChild) for not only inspiration to do out-of-canon pairings but also for her helpful ideas in planning this one-shot. Thanks so much!  
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Nico just couldn't believe how quickly the new great prophecy came into play. It was only a mere twelve years before he could see the elusive words becoming more opaque, and the meaning behind those frightful words was unraveling.

While his role in the last great prophecy was important, it was less defined. Less known, it wasn't woven into the words of the future. This time however, it was different. The end of the prophecy: _And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death_, those involved him. He now knew that he would have to be waiting at the 'Doors of Death'; it's his job.

Despite his new role of importance, Nico somehow missed the old great prophecy. While you couldn't quite have called it fun, there was this aspect of ongoing excitement. It could have been because of his younger age at the time, or his expedition of self-discovery, but something about him knew it was because of Percy being there.

He always had this brotherly attachment to Percy. Even when Percy was trying to save the world, he'd always kept an eye on Nico. Sure, he got frustrated with him every now and then, but they always forgave one another. Without Percy's great involvement in this prophecy, to Nico it felt like there was a piece of the puzzle missing.

Sure, Percy had _tried_ to be a part of this. When he found out everything was coming together, he was one of the first people to IM camp. Much to Nico and Percy's regret, his help was declined. Chiron told him that his role was played in the last prophecy, and he wasn't needed as much this time. They said that if his presence were needed, he would be one of the first to be called.

This time, Nico was alone. He saw some familiar faces here and there, but all the people he grew up with had grown up and were long gone with families. Nico was the only one left behind. He sometimes wondered if it was because of his lack of a family, or perhaps because he was a few years younger in growth age then everyone else, but he feared most of all that it was because he was a son of Hades; resulting in him always left behind.

For these very reasons, was he trying to shadow travel from Los Angeles where the 'main' entrance of the Underworld was, to Half-Blood Hill. He was instructed by his father to deliver key battle information to Chiron, to prepare the seven chosen demigods.

It wasn't his task that was unusual, neither was it his destination of choice or the method he was choosing to get it done. The surprise was where he landed.

The first signs of his misdirection were when he noticed that he was lying on a bed of sand, versus the blades of grass on Half-Blood Hill. The sky had this mystical beauty to it, not the normal sunny weather back at camp. He could hear the currents of the ocean around him, loud and thrashing, not the silent movement on the lake at camp.

This place wasn't camp; that was for sure.

He wondered how he got to this place. He'd shadow traveled way too many times to count, in his lifetime. He hadn't made a mistake since he was twelve, and landed halfway across the world.

How could he have messed up? Could it have been his lack of concentration? Or perhaps he thought of something else without realizing it, which altered his direction. But he feared what he knew was the truth, he hadn't cared all too much about his duty. He hadn't cared about the need and importance of what he was doing, and lost focus. He hadn't felt like anyone of too much concern was expecting him, and he lost the energy to be precise.

Even when he tried, he couldn't think of anyone who he really felt _deserved_ his help. His father always thought his sister was better. He only had met two of the seven-prophesized half bloods, only one of which was even remotely nice to him. None of his old friends were ever around, so why help?

Nico realized that it wasn't worth figuring out _how _he got here, and he should be thinking about _where _he is. He couldn't recall a place that even compared in beauty besides Olympus that had this much beauty, and this surely wasn't Olympus.

He sat up, hoping it would help him find some degree of similarity, but none such was found. He was on some island; made purely of sand. It had a cave on one far end, some trees, and more sand. While it didn't seem like ideal living conditions, the beauty and simplicity of it all seemed calming and relaxing.

"You're finally awake." a soft, sweet voice said. It surprised him; something about this island gave him an abandoned feel.

He whirled around, and found a girl who looked a few years younger than he. She had a small, unsure smile. It seemed to just melt away all of his resent and loneliness.

"I was-" Nico said, coughing to try to get his words out, "I was asleep?"

"Yes." she replied, slowly approaching Nico. She was clutching a basket that was filled with pearly white flowers. "You suddenly appeared out of thin air, passed out. You've been out like that for some time now."

"Do- do you know how long?" Nico asked. His record was a month or something of that sort. He figured he'd have to have been out for a while, the farther he went, the more tired he was.

"No," she said, extending her hand for him to take and get up, "Time is impossible to tell here."

"Oh," He replied, feeling a bit disappointed, "Who-" He squinted a little, trying to see if he recognized her from _anywhere_, "Who are you? And where are we?"

She seemed to laugh a little, "I'm Calypso, and we are on my island of punishment, Ogygia." she let go of his hand; he was now standing and felt balanced on his own two feet.

"Calypso," Nico repeated, trying to make sense of the name, "As in the daughter of Atlas who defended the Titans in the first Titan war?"

Her original smile and glow of warmth and friendship seemed to disappear temporarily, as her face turned sour, "Yes. That is why I am here, locked away on this island, alone. My only visitors are those few heroes that the gods send to me, and the fates insure that they are those who come have to leave due to their jobs elsewhere, but make sure that I fall in love with them."

Nico thought about how this applied to him. _The Prophecy_. He was still supposed to deliver the secret- yet crucial, battle plans to Chiron, without them, the end result might not be in their favor. His role and job had a new sudden revelation of importance.

He also thought about the last thing she said. How she _had_ to fall in love with whomever they sent. This meant that she had to fall in love with _him_, which was something entirely new for Nico.

He never had much of a love life or interest. He always thought that it was the price of being a son of Hades, you were not only an outcast demigods and gods, but around society as a whole. Who would want to date a son of Hades when you could date a son of Aphrodite, or a son of Apollo, or even a mortal had better chance than Nico did.

He also felt some level of understanding and compassion towards her. She's been alone her entire life, an outcast within the set of immortals. Unlike Nico, who new that home wasn't all too far in the future, knew that the pain of being singled out would be over for him. One day his time above will be over, and he will return home, to the underworld, and feel welcomed. But not for her, as an immortal, she had to painfully live with getting her heart ripped out and then have no one to wallow in self pity with.

"Oh." was all he could manage to say, the thought of how he too would have to leave her dawning on him.

A large part of him _didn't_ want to leave. It wanted to stay here, and keep her company. Tell her that he understood what she was going through, and that together neither of them would feel the pain of being singled out because of difference any longer.

But the dominant and sensible part won, telling him that despite his feeling or pity and understanding for her; that he must go. He had to go and save the world once again, no matter how much he didn't want to. It was his job, and his duty. If he stayed, the fates would be twisted. The strings would be knotted and tangled. Fate was a delicate thing, and Nico wasn't going to be one to falter with it.

"So what will it be, young hero?" she said, a small smile of hope once again returning to her face. He knew she had hope that he would stay, that maybe he'd be her prince and surprise ever odd that was against them. But he wasn't _that _guy.

"I-uh, I have to go," he looked down in embarrassment, feeling that his heart was being suppressed by a heavy weight of regret, "I have people counting on me to save them, and friends who need me. If not I would…"

"It's always the same," she said, looking off into the ocean. She looked like she was finding some sentiment in it, "They always say they would, but can't."

"I'm so sorry." he said, feeling horrible, "But I can- uh- stay for dinner, or something."

She laughed, "I thought you would be hungry."

Food suddenly appeared, and they ate.

They talked, talked about things _other_ than one's self-misery, but about their interests. It was almost like Nico's first date.

When Nico was getting on the raft, taking him back to Camp, he no longer felt self-pity. He no longer felt so alone, for he knew from her what true loneliness was.

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**A/N: I realize that the pairing is odd and slightly implausible, but please remember that for the sake of the story implausibility is something you must get past. I really hope that you liked it. Please review! Reviews make my day! **


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